Books in Ecology and conservation

Animal Vigilance

1st Edition
June 29, 2015
Guy Beauchamp
English
Paperback
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eBook
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Animal Vigilance builds on the author’s previous publication with Academic Press (Social Predation: How Group Living Benefits Predators and Prey) by developing several other themes including the development and mechanisms underlying vigilance, as well as developing more fully the evolution and function of vigilance. Animal vigilance has been at the forefront of research on animal behavior for many years, but no comprehensive review of this topic has existed. Students of animal behavior have focused on many aspects of animal vigilance, from models of its adaptive value to empirical research in the laboratory and in the field. The vast literature on vigilance is widely dispersed with often little contact between models and empirical work and between researchers focusing on different taxa such as birds and mammals. Animal Vigilance fills this gap in the available material.

Principles and Dynamics of the Critical Zone

1st Edition
Volume 19
June 18, 2015
John R. Giardino + 1 more
English
Hardback
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eBook
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Principles and Dynamics of the Critical Zone is an invaluable resource for undergraduate and graduate courses and an essential tool for researchers developing cutting-edge proposals. It provides a process-based description of the Critical Zone, a place that The National Research Council (2001) defines as the "heterogeneous, near surface environment in which complex interactions involving rock, soil, water, air, and living organisms regulate the natural habitat and determine the availability of life-sustaining resources." This text provides a summary of Critical Zone research and outcomes from the NSF funded Critical Zone Observatories, providing a process-based description of the Critical Zone in a wide range of environments with a specific focus on the important linkages that exist amongst the processes in each zone. This book will be useful to all scientists and students conducting research on the Critical Zone within and outside the Critical Zone Observatory Network, as well as scientists and students in the geosciences – atmosphere, geomorphology, geology and pedology.

The Ecological Importance of Mixed-Severity Fires

1st Edition
June 8, 2015
Dominick A. DellaSala + 1 more
English
Paperback
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eBook
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The Ecological Importance of High-Severity Fires, presents information on the current paradigm shift in the way people think about wildfire and ecosystems. While much of the current forest management in fire-adapted ecosystems, especially forests, is focused on fire prevention and suppression, little has been reported on the ecological role of fire, and nothing has been presented on the importance of high-severity fire with regards to the maintenance of native biodiversity and fire-dependent ecosystems and species. This text fills that void, providing a comprehensive reference for documenting and synthesizing fire's ecological role.

Understanding Complex Ecosystem Dynamics

1st Edition
June 3, 2015
William S. Yackinous
English
Paperback
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eBook
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Understanding Complex Ecosystem Dynamics: A Systems and Engineering Perspective takes a fresh, interdisciplinary perspective on complex system dynamics, beginning with a discussion of relevant systems and engineering skills and practices, including an explanation of the systems approach and its major elements. From this perspective, the author formulates an ecosystem dynamics functionality-based framework to guide ecological investigations. Next, because complex system theory (across many subject matter areas) is crucial to the work of this book, relevant network theory, nonlinear dynamics theory, cellular automata theory, and roughness (fractal) theory is covered in some detail. This material serves as an important resource as the book proceeds. In the context of all of the foregoing discussion and investigation, a view of the characteristics of ecological network dynamics is constructed. This view, in turn, is the basis for the central hypothesis of the book, i.e., ecological networks are ever-changing networks with propagation dynamics that are punctuated, local-to-global, and perhaps most importantly fractal. To analyze and fully test this hypothesis, an innovative ecological network dynamics model is defined, designed, and developed. The modeling approach, which seeks to emulate features of real-world ecological networks, does not make a priori assumptions about ecological network dynamics, but rather lets the dynamics develop as the model simulation runs. Model analysis results corroborate the central hypothesis. Additional important insights and principles are suggested by the model analysis results and by the other supporting investigations of this book – and can serve as a basis for going-forward complex system dynamics research, not only for ecological systems but for complex systems in general.

Determination of Metals in Natural Waters, Sediments, and Soils

1st Edition
May 23, 2015
T. R. Crompton
English
Hardback
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eBook
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Determination of Metals in Natural Waters, Sediments and Soils provides analytic labs with a comprehensive overview of the various methods available for analysis of metals and serves as a manual to determine metal concentrations in different media such as natural waters, waste waters, sediments and soils. The book begins with a discussion of sampling techniques and preservation and then covers metals in rivers, surface ground and mineral waters and metals in aqueous precipitation. It concludes with detailed information on analysis of metals in sediments. Determination of Metals in Natural Waters, Sediments and Soils provides a foundation for informed action by environmental interest groups and regulators and a starting point for further study by graduate students, professionals, and researchers.

Trait-Based Ecology - From Structure to Function

1st Edition
Volume 52
May 11, 2015
Samraat Pawar + 2 more
English
Hardback
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eBook
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The theme of this volume is Trait-Based Ecology - From Structure to Function.

Events of Increased Biodiversity

1st Edition
May 6, 2015
Pascal Neige
English
eBook
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The fossil record offers a surprising image: that of evolutionary radiations characterized by intense increases in cash or by the sudden diversification of a single species group, while others stagnate or die out. In a modern world, science carries an often pessimistic message, surrounded by studies of global warming and its effects, extinction crisis, emerging diseases and invasive species. This book fuels frequent "optimism" of the sudden increase in biodiversity by exploring this natural phenomenon.Events of Increased Biodiversity: Evolutionary Radiations in the Fossil Record explores this natural phenomenon of adaptive radiation including its effect on the increase in biodiversity events, their contribution to the changes and limitations in the fossil record, and examines the links between ecology and paleontology’s study of radiation.

Elephant Sense and Sensibility

1st Edition
February 11, 2015
Michael Garstang
English
Paperback
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eBook
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Elephant Sense and Sensibility is a comprehensive treatment of the full range of elephant behavior. Beginning with chapters on evolution and the elephant’s brain, this book is an integrated presentation of the elephant’s capacity for memory, morality, emotion, empathy, altruism, language, intelligence, learning and teaching. Grounded primarily in scientific research, the book also draws upon anecdotal and visual evidence showing elephants thinking, acting, feeling and behaving in ways that we, as humans, recognize. This complete treatment of elephant behavior supported by the extensive literature, along with anecdotal and photographic material, provides an overview not available in any other text.

Channels, Carriers, and Pumps

2nd Edition
December 9, 2014
Wilfred D. Stein + 1 more
English
Hardback
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eBook
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An introduction to the principles of membrane transport: How molecules and ions move across the cell membrane by simple diffusion and by making use of specialized membrane components (channels, carriers, and pumps). The text emphasizes the quantitative aspects of such movement and its interpretation in terms of transport kinetics. Molecular studies of channels, carriers, and pumps are described in detail as well as structural principles and the fundamental similarities between the various transporters and their evolutionary interrelationships. The regulation of transporters and their role in health and disease are also considered.

Big Data in Ecology

1st Edition
Volume 51
December 1, 2014
Guy Woodward + 3 more
English
Hardback
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eBook
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The theme of this volume is big data in ecology.

Life Sciences

Physical Sciences & Engineering

Social Sciences & Humanities

Health